Event details

As part of the tenth anniversary events celebrations, you're invited to attend the seasonal edition of Southampton Solent University’s professorial lectures:

'Engineering education... moulding our people and propelling them towards their future' given by Professor John Chudley.

Refreshments and a festive buffet from 6.30pm for a 7pm start at Southampton Solent University Conference Centre.

Post-lecture there will be mulled wine and mince pies served until 9.30pm.

More about the lecture

Professor Chudley has a passion for ensuring pathways of higher level skills and education are flexible and available to all; be it full time or in the workplace.

The lecture will tell the story of a career that started on the workshop floor as an apprentice, casting propellers. It then progressed to the lecture theatre and ultimately, as a Director for the National Apprenticeship Service, introducing higher level apprenticeships. This journey will look at engineering education and its developments in the marine world, alongside the influence of research ranging from composite propeller design to autonomous underwater vehicles.

More about Professor John Chudley

Professor Chudley joined Teignbridge Propellers Ltd as a mechanical engineering apprentice before progressing to higher education, completing a PhD in marine technology.

In 1989 he joined the University of Plymouth holding a number of positions including Head of the Department of Mechanical and Marine Engineering and Director of Research and Innovation. As well as having responsibility for evolution of academic policy around engineering and research at Plymouth, he supervised a number of PhDs and published in excess of 60 conference and journal papers – two gaining awards.

In 2006 John moved to the Learning and Skills Council and National Apprenticeship Service. With experience and a strong belief in the benefits and opportunities vocational education brings to young people, he was passionate in his role as a director and led nationally in the development of higher apprenticeships.

In addition to his academic and government department roles John has acted as a board member to a number of organisations covering activities including biomedicine, science parks and enterprise development exploiting university research and development. He is also a trustee of the IMarEST and a member of the RNLI Technical Committee and Council. In 2010 John was appointed as one of only 22 associates to be recognised by the Engineering Council.